The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-03-26
WOMAN,S WAGES.
why Remuneration for Her Work. No
, Matter How Well Performed, Ia Low.

WHY Remuneration for Her Work. No
Matter How Well Performed, Ia Low.
Doubtless puissant reason for tho
low wages of women is the ovcrsupply
of women. In the good providence of
God there is no oversupply; but an APP
parent oversupply is made to appear in
the calculations of the economists, who,
without inquiring why 1t is so. are ready
with their statistics to show that the
cleaners in the field of labor are always
In excess of the glennings. Within the
last twenty years women have pushed
themselves by dint of undertaking and
| proved steadiness into many occupa-
tions heretofore monopolized by men.
The progress of invention has aided this
tendency by creating new occupations.
The business of telegraphy, telephony.
| iypewriting, kindergarten teaching.
and all the wonderful mechanical con-
trivances for knitting, weaving, sew
ing. spinning and kindred industries
have created a demand for labor pre-
Cisely suited to the quick and nimblt
fingers of womankind.
But the very low wages earned il,
nearly all the callings, new and old
where the labor of women has to some
extent supplanted the labor of meh
furnish proof that the area of employ.
ment should be further widened. Tht
very fact that it is possible for women
to support themselves without resort.
ing to matrimony as matter of bu.i-
ness calculation, has no doubt added t.
the proportionate number of the 'in-
married. In so far as this has been
the case it has served to retnrd any i'm
provement in the rate of wages by in
creasing the number of employees in
probable excess of increased employ
rnent. Unlike men, women can not
undertake the care of household and
go on with other form of labor. When
woman marries there is an end of
bookkeeping, telegraphy or shorthand
writing. She steps into more natural
;.nd more important but less indepen-
dent occupation, and makes room for
another woman. But the fewer mar
riages there are the less room there is.
1t is n question for statesman whether
policies that encourage factories and
discourage farmers are better or worse
for the mass of the population. am
inclined to think that farms should be
preferred before factores. Farmers
can not get along without wives. The
workers in factories, both men and
women, may live minated. Many oi
them can never afford to live in any
other way, and so antagoniza one an
other in the battle of life. This il
; dreadful. 1t makes one almost sympa.
thize with the wish of Thomas Jeil'er
son, that IL sea of fire had been inter
,, posed between this country and the
manufacturing nations.
The United States, though the great
est of agricultural nations, is rapidly
, becoming great rs manufacturing
!, country. We have many factories ant
are constantly getting more. The pres
sure, however, for factory employment
becomes more intense year by year
!, One means of relieving this pressur,
l should be insisted upon: Child Labor
should be dispensed with. The laws in
u tended to prevent it should be so amend
ed rs to provide adequate means fol
enforcement. Just as the prevention
of imported labor from other countrie.
under contracts based upon wage sys
: TENS not suited to this free countr,
would improve the condition of mel
who work in mines or, build railroads
or engage in other forms of unskillet
labor. so the abolition of child labo
r. would be followed by widening of tn,
l. field for the labor of woulen Employ
ars should not be allowed to force dowr
.he wages of the grown mother or sister
Dy putting against her in the struggl,
,. for existence the poor children whit
!, ought to be in school, and who ar,
- physically dwarfed and mentally be
numbed by the drudgery imposed upol
them.
Women who are workers in TIL,
a grand army of industry are profoundl,
interested in every possible movcmen
~ which tends either to narrow or to en-
. . large the number of hands to do or tn,
amount of work to be done. Whateve
! crowds the occupations in which mel
exclusively engage reacts upon the oc
n cupations in which men compete will
women. If hoys can not get to be ma
chinists, or farmers, or engineers,
large number of them will be clerks
salesmen, telegraphers and type-writ
!, ers.
II AS beginning, in making room TO
4 more women there is no more promis
o. ing field than the one indicated. Their,
ought to be no cessation in the effort t.
:, keep infants out of the factories. l
no place were thereby made for girl
out of work who are old enough t,
. work, still the human side of the mat
!. ter ought to engage the mind of ever,
thinking man and the heart of every
good woman.-Philadeiphia Record.
Il The Shop-CounciI.
VI Mr.. James G. Baylcs, the editor o